(Leo's apartment, the kitchen)
*Chop* *Chop*
Luke's knife rhythmically sliced through the fresh vegetables, each cut precise and deliberate. Across the counter, Leo focused on the broth, its steam curling lazily into the air, carrying with it the savory smell of herbs and spices.
The two worked in a companionable silence, but the soft smile on Leo's face was impossible to miss!
He grinned from ear to ear, a quiet reflection of the weight that was about to lift from his shoulders, as for months, he had been carrying a secret too heavy to bear, but today, he could finally tell his brother the truth.
"The vegetables are ready," Luke announced, his voice breaking the stillness as he slid the chopped produce towards Leo.
Nodding, Leo lifted the lid of the stew and with a simple gesture, invited Luke to add in the vegetables.
*Splash*
The vibrant array of carrots, celery, and onions tumbled into the bubbling pot, disappearing beneath the surface, as their addition into the broth intensified the savory smell.
*Swirl*
Leo began to stir them in slowly, the gentle swirl of the wooden spoon coaxing out an aromatic medley of flavors that filled the kitchen, wrapping around them in warmth and comfort.
"Smells just like mother's food–" Luke commented, reminiscing of old times on Earth, as Leo grinned at the compliment.
Today was one of those days where Leo cooked not for sustenance but from the heart, and hence the results of his cooking were different.
He had been waiting for this day for a long time and now that he had some alone time with his brother, he wanted to make the most of it.
"We cooked it with patience…. I think it'll turn out nicely" Leo said, as after a few minutes of letting the soup simmer, he took it out into two bowls placing one for himself and one for Luke.
*Blow–*
Blowing gently at the boiling soup, Luke took a sip and immediately felt lost in the flavors.
Not only did the soup smell just like their mother's, but it tasted like it too, improving his mood greatly.
"This is a 10/10 meal!" He complimented, as Leo chuckled heartily.
He was happy to see his brother look this happy, as it made it easier for him to tell him the truth.
"So, what was it that you wanted to tell me, Leo?" Luke asked, taking a few sips of his soup, as he encouraged Leo to finally break the news.
Leo hesitated for a moment, scratching his chin, but eventually let out a long sigh as he started his explanation.
"Well, brother, this is a long story… and I'm not even sure where to begin. But I guess the best way is to start from the very beginning, because that's the only way it will all make sense." Leo said, Luke nodded in understanding, his eyes focused on Leo as he prepared to listen.
"So, my class in the game Terra Nova Online isn't actually 'Merchant.' I'm… I'm actually a special class player, called 'Actor,'" Leo began, deciding to lay it all out from the start.
"'Actor?'" Luke repeated, surprised. He had never heard of such a class before, which was strange given his knowledge of the game.
"Yeah, 'Actor.' It's a unique class—so unique that I'm pretty sure that I am the only one in the game who has it," Leo explained, his voice lowering. "But it's not all great. The class comes with a penalty… a big one. If my identity as the 'Actor' were ever exposed, I'd lose my life."
Luke's expression darkened with concern, his brow furrowing. "Lose your life? As in… die in real life? Or just lose a life within the game?"
Leo shook his head grimly. "Die for real."
*Clang*
Luke's spoon slipped from his hand, clattering loudly against the table. The gravity of what Leo had said hit him hard. This was the harshest in-game penalty he had ever heard of.
"So… if anyone finds out that you're the 'Actor,' you'll die?" Luke asked, his voice tinged with disbelief.
Leo nodded, confirming it.
"Whoa, that's brutal," Luke muttered, his eyes glued to Leo, waiting for him to continue.
Leo sighed, but a slight smile slowly crept onto his face.
"Well, I don't have to worry about that anymore, because—ta-da!" Leo said, as he suddenly lifted his leg onto the dining table, revealing the faint tan lines around his ankle where the ankle monitor had once been.
Luke's eyes widened, he felt his heart jump out of his chest when he noticed the missing ankle monitor.
"Your ankle monitor? Where is it?" he asked in alarm, as he had never seen a passenger without one before, not even high-ranking residents like Cervantez could take it off, which made Leo not having it that much more perplexing.
"It fell off….. well, technically, I'm not allowed to be enslaved anymore. But that's a whole other story," Leo replied casually. "I know it's complicated, and we'll get to all of it. But for now, let me tell you everything from the start."
Luke folded his arms, leaning back slightly. "Hmmm," he grunted, deciding to hold off on more questions. He wanted to hear Leo's story uninterrupted, letting his brother finally get it all off his chest.
"Basically brother, my class is an 'Actor', so I get to play different roles within the game.
One of my roles is 'Leo Skyshard' the merchant, and every quest I get associated with that identity is related to the merchant class.
However, while Leo Skyshard is a famous player, I have a second identity that's probably more famous than Leo Skyshard too–" Leo said, as Luke's eyes widened in disbelief.
By this point he already had a premonition of what Leo was going to say next, however, he could still not bring himself to believe it.
"My second identity….. it's 'TheBoss'. Yes, I'm the number one player in Terra Nova Online!" Leo said, as he finally revealed the truth to Luke.